The American Bowling Congress (ABC) has established rigid specifications for standard wood pins, plastic coated (wood core), and nonwood (synthetic) pins. Since sound, hard maple, heretofore required for wood pins, is in short supply, attention has recently been directed to synthetic pins. Prior to approval for use in ABC sanctioned leagues and tournament play, synthetic pins must pass rigid testing; the material of which said pin is composed, the measurements, center of gravity, radius of gyration, finish, durability and scorability are considered. Additionally, to be acceptable to bowlers, a synthetic pin must produce a sound similar to that produced by a conventional maple pin.
Synthetic bowling pins made of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), copolylactam and polycaprolactum have heretofore been suggested in the prior art.